Highlights

  • PSVR had a rough start but now boasts quality games and affordability.
  • Dreams in PSVR offers a wide array of unique and fascinating games.
  • Superhot VR provides an immersive Matrix-like experience with intense gameplay.

The PlayStation VR headset launched at the end of 2016. It had a rocky start with some average to bad games and a high price tag. However, over the last few years, the quality and quantity of games in its library have improved significantly, and the headset itself has never been more affordable.

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Sony's original headset had a rough start, but hopefully, it has created a solid foundation for future models to improve upon. If you are curious about getting into PlayStation VR and don't feel like purchasing the PSVR2, these are the best PSVR games you should check out right away.

Updated February 27, 2024, by Kyle Chamaillard: Despite the launch of the PSVR2, the original headset is still a fantastic way to engage with virtual reality for a decent price. We've decided to update this list to include even more of the best games available on PSVR.

20 Dreams

Dreams Bear Holding Hammer in Grassy Field Facing Giant Tree With  Pink Leaves
Dreams

Released
February 14, 2020
Developer(s)
Media Molecule
Genre(s)
Game Creation System
ESRB
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Language

If you are looking to explore a wide spectrum of genres and ideas within VR, Dreams offers a plethora of unique and fascinating games to check out. Created by Media Molecule, Dreams is a platform for players to create games or other projects using its DreamShaping mode. The platform hosts a variety of excellent experiences, fan art, and of course, VR games.

While you may not find a 40-hour masterpiece in Dreams, the number of games available to play could leave you lost in your headset for hours. From impressive fan-made Sonic games to remakes of Jak and Daxter, Dreams is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

19 Werewolves Within

A group of characters accuse each other around a fire

Released

December 6th, 2016

Developer

Red Storm Entertainment

Genre

Social Deduction

ESRB

E for Everyone: Mild Fantasy Violence

If you've ever been to summer camp or enjoy playing interactive games with friends, you've probably partaken in a round of Mafia or Werewolf. Both require you to use your social skills and some acting to convince a group of people that you are not the villain eliminating players between rounds. It's like Among Us, except everyone stays in the same room with each other the entire time.

A VR version of Werewolf - known as Werewolves Within - was published by Ubisoft in 2016 and does a great job adapting the social aspects of the game into mostly digital interactions. It's one of the few PSVR titles to have cross-platform multiplayer with the Oculus Rift and Vive headsets, which makes it much easier to connect with friends without a PlayStation. Ubisoft also adapted Werewolves Within into a movie with the same name, and it's much better than anyone could have anticipated.

18 Marvel's Iron Man VR

Iron Man protects the Helicarrier from enemies

Released

July 3rd, 2020

Developer

Camouflaj

Genre

Action, Shooter

ESRB

T

Ever since Iron Man launched the MCU back in 2008, thousands of people, young and old, have dreamed about what it would feel like to be Tony Stark. Using VR technology, that dream can become a reality with Iron Man VR, a first-person adventure that puts you in the shoes of the billionaire and the iconic armor suit with all of its weapons and features.

It's surprisingly long and can take anywhere between seven and eight to complete, but, the ride is a bit bumpier than you might expect. Flying around is a blast, but using your arms to choose which direction you're heading can feel tedious before you're halfway through. There are some compelling and jaw-dropping sequences, but the journey to those moments can be more tiring than fun.

17 Falcon Age

Feeding a Falcon that is rested on your arm in a tower

Released

April 9th, 2019

Developer

Outerloop Games

Genre

Adventure

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Language

There is nothing else quite like Falcon Age on the PSVR. This adorable action-adventure title puts you in the shoes of Ara as she sets out to save her planet from an invasion of machines. After a misunderstanding, she lands in prison with a small bird who helps her pass the time and eventually becomes a valuable ally.

The duo work together to defeat the robots and reclaim their land back from the invaders. You'll watch the falcon grow as you continue your adventure, and you can customize it with a variety of accessories like hats and scarves. The variety of puzzles and compelling narrative make Falcon Age an essential VR title.

16 Minecraft

Attacking a tree with a sword while a chicken walks in the background

Released

November 18th, 2011

Developer

Mojang Studios

Genre

Sandbox, Survival

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence

Minecraft is one of the biggest games in the world, so it made sense to develop a VR version during the height of VR's popularity. It's neat to be able to hop into a world of endless possibilities in VR, but for more than a few reasons, it's not the ideal way to experience the game.

Minecraft VR is a fairly straightforward version of the game and doesn't even include motion controls for anyone hoping to spend hours chopping down trees and fighting enemies. It's certainly exhilarating for short bursts of time, but if you plan on spending hundreds of hours building your dream world, it might be easier without the headset.

15 Star Wars: Squadrons

Viewing a space battle through a cockpit
Star Wars: Squadrons

Released
October 2, 2020
Developer(s)
EA Motive
Genre(s)
Action , Flight Simulator
ESRB
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language

Many Star Wars fans have dreamed about soaring through space in an X-Wing or TIE Fighter, and the VR mode in Star Wars: Squadrons helps turn that desire into (virtual) reality. While you can play the game without VR, wearing the headset makes the game much more immersive and exhilarating.

Unlike some games that restrict the amount of content you can experience in virtual reality, Star Wars: Squadrons allows you to enjoy every mode, cutscene, and menu interaction in VR. Everything from the single-player campaign to multiplayer is available while wearing a headset, providing countless hours of exciting space combat.

14 Superhot VR

Superhot VR Shooting Dual Weapons At An Incoming Enemy

Released

July 21st, 2017

Developer

SUPERHOT Team

Genre

Shooter, Puzzle

ESRB

T for Teen: Violence

Superhot may appear as a generic first-person shooter to anyone unfamiliar with it, but it secretly has one of the best gameplay mechanics in recent memory. Enemies and time only move forward when you do, which allows you to assess your surroundings and think strategically to clear each level. The game was a hit and somehow became even better when it was released for VR shortly after its launch.

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Playing Superhot VR may be the closest you will get to knowing how Neo feels in The Matrix. The immersive and tense gameplay may even leave you catching your breath between levels. Every time you move your head to look around, you may put yourself in danger, but the feeling of single-handedly taking down twenty enemies in a room is something only Superhot VR can provide.

13 Thumper

Thumper Beatle Races Forward On Track With Blue and Green Light

Released

October 10th, 2016

Developer

Drool

Genre

Rhythm, Action

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence

The rhythm game genre doesn't feel as prevalent today as it once was, but fortunately, VR has breathed new life into it on its platform. Thumper was one of the first games to fuse hypnotic beats with stellar gameplay and helped lay the groundwork for later titles such as Beat Saber.

The premise for Thumper is simple; guide a beetle through nightmarish levels while avoiding obstacles and defeating bosses. You will need to press buttons to slam, slide, and jump to the beat of the background music, composed by Brian Gibson (bassist for the noise-rock band Lightning Bolt). Thumper will quickly immerse you into its world with its mesmerizing visuals and cosmic aesthetic.

12 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR

The player uses a spell on a enemy in the snow
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Released
November 11, 2011
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Genre(s)
Action , RPG , Adventure
ESRB
M for Mature - Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol

Skyrim is one of the most beloved games of all time, and it's also been available on nearly every platform since it launched in 2011. From the Nintendo Switch to Amazon Alexa, Bethesda has ported its magnificent open-world RPG to almost everything, but none of them re-defined the experience of playing Skyrim like the release of Skyrim VR.

Bethesda had spent years creating some of the most interesting and rich open worlds in gaming, and for the first time, fans could finally immerse themselves in one with the power of virtual reality. From the combat to the breathtaking environments, every aspect of Skyrim is somehow more engaging and exciting in VR. Skyrim VR somehow made one of the best games ever even better and can easily take hundreds of hours to complete if you're looking for something to hold you over until the next Elder Scrolls.

11 Beat Saber

Slashing at blocks as they head toward the screen

Released

November 20th, 2018

Developer

Beat Games

Genre

Rhythm

ESRB

E for Everyone

While Beat Saber on PSVR might not have as many bells and whistles as the PC version, it's still a great way to enjoy one of the best titles available in VR. In this rhythm game, you'll need to slash at incoming blocks to the beat of a song while avoiding obstacles.

Beat Saber excels at creating an exciting atmosphere for each song you play, and the amount of content means you can keep coming back to the game months after purchasing it. Swinging your arms in specific directions for each track can be tiring after a bit, so don't be surprised if you find yourself a bit sweaty after a decent Beat Saber session.

10 No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky Hero Wearing Red Suit Looks Forward While Standing In A Field
No Man's Sky

Released
August 9, 2016
Developer(s)
Hello Games
Genre(s)
Adventure , Action , Survival
ESRB
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood

Besides Final Fantasy XIV, very few games have had the same trajectory as No Man's Sky. Originally released back in 2016, critics and fans alike were severely disappointed after the developers failed to include the features they had promised pre-release. Over the years, though, Hello Games has continued to improve the game and repair its reputation with free updates, including a VR mode back in 2019.

If you are looking for a singular VR game to invest your time into, No Man's Sky has a ton of content worth exploring. You can spend your afternoon navigating space, gliding between planets, and meeting new alien species. Or you could land on a mysterious planet to investigate its inhabitants or build a new home for yourself. Either way, No Man's Sky is one of the most fascinating games from this generation, and it's even better in VR.

9 Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

A giant bomb sits on a table in a dark room

Released

October 13th, 2016

Developer

Steel Crate Games

Genre

Puzzle, Multiplayer

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Mild Violence

There are so many single-player focused VR games it can be hard to enjoy the hardware while hanging out with friends. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes was one of the first VR titles to showcase how the technology could be used for local multiplayer and is still one of the best excuses to pull out your PSVR whenever you have company over.

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The concept is simple: one person wears the PSVR headset and attempts to defuse a bomb using instructions given to them by other players who have access to the bomb's manual. No matter what the result is, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is consistently hilarious and requires everyone to work together - unless you purposefully want to see the bomb blow up in someone's face. It's also available on non-VR platforms, but the PSVR version is one of the best ways to experience it.

8 Hitman 3

Hitman 3 Agent 47 Stands On A Balcony in the Tower in Dubai
Hitman 3

Released
January 20, 2021
Developer(s)
IO Interactive
Genre(s)
Action , Puzzle , Simulation
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language

IO Interactive ended their most recent Hitman trilogy with a bang when they released Hitman 3 at the beginning of 2021. The series had built a reputation for providing some of the best sandboxes in the stealth-action genre, and the third entry contains some of the most creative and dense levels in the history of the franchise.

When the developers announced that a VR mode would launch on PlayStation alongside Hitman 3, it was a pleasant surprise to many. You could now play through all three games in first-person and approach levels in refreshing ways. You can take it seriously and sneak around like a real secret agent, or you can just run around with a giant fish in your hand while avoiding security and finding new spots to hide. The choice is up to you.

7 Rez Infinite

The main character glides past a machine shooting lasers

Released

October 13th, 2016

Developer

Monstars Inc., Resonair

Genre

On-Rails Shooter, Action

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence

Rez debuted on the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 during the early 2000s. The gameplay is simple - it's an on-rail shooter that only requires you to shoot enemies without worrying about moving the character around - but what makes Rez stand out is its hypnotic visuals and a pulse-pounding soundtrack.

It easily drew players in with its mesmerizing fusion of video and audio elements back when it was first released, but in 2016, a VR version of the game - named Rez Infinite - would take Rez's sense of immersion to the next level. Entering Rez in virtual reality feels like walking onto a completely different planet, and it doesn't take long for the synesthesia to start overwhelming your senses in the best way possible. It's a short experience, but it's one you'll want to hop back into every once in a while as a sweet escape from reality.

6 Blood And Truth

Blood and Truth The Three Protagonists Stand Over London And Car Explosions

Released

May 28th, 2019

Developer

London Studio

Genre

Action, Shooter

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence

Have you ever wanted to star in a Guy Ritchie movie? Move over Jason Statham because in the PSVR exclusive Blood and Truth, you will have the opportunity to star in a wild and hilarious thriller involving gangsters, epic car chases, and of course, deception.

The list of games exclusive to the PSVR is short, but games like Blood and Truth are the reason why it's worth looking into. The campaign only takes around six hours to beat, but during your time as Ryan Marks, you will encounter epic shootouts and surprising moments as you travel between unique scenarios. It's a game worth playing over and over again, like re-watching your favorite action movie from the 90s.

5 Resident Evil VII

Resident Evil 7 Jack Baker Swings Shovel At Ethan Holding A Handgun
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Released
January 24, 2017
Developer(s)
Capcom
Genre(s)
Survival Horror
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Want to experience one of the most terrifying VR games that will simultaneously showcase what the platform is capable of? Then Resident Evil VII is the perfect game for you. You may think that a mainline title in this long-running series might have a tacked-on VR experience, right? The answer is quite the opposite.

Both modes were developed in tandem. While the story remains the same, the gameplay changes significantly with VR. You can now look around corners and generally see things from new angles and perspectives. If you feel like video games aren't as scary as they used to be, Resident Evil VII in VR may leave you shaking in your headset after its haunting opening hours.

4 The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

A group of zombies walk towards someone holding a weapon
The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners

Released
January 23, 2020
Developer(s)
Skydance Interactive , Skybound Entertainment
Genre(s)
FPS , Survival Horror
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Tobacco

The Walking Dead brand may not be as popular as it once was, but the franchise is still finding new ways to bring people into its post-apocalyptic world. The Walking Dead has been adapted into video games a few times - including the iconic Telltale series - but none of them have felt as horrifying as The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.

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While Telltale's The Walking Dead used interactive decision-making to tug on your heartstrings, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is a more visceral experience about surviving hoards of zombies. You will need to craft new weapons and use seamless motion controls to slay as many undead as possible while navigating a city looking for supplies. Saints & Sinners is one of the best survival-horror games available in VR, and it will keep you invested until you're too scared to play it anymore.

3 Tetris Effect

Tetris Effect Colorful Bubbles Spring Toward Tetris Screen With Dark Background
Tetris Effect Connected

Released
November 10, 2020
Developer(s)
Monstars Inc , Resonair , Stage Games
Genre(s)
Puzzle
ESRB
E For Everyone

Tetris had a fantastic 2018. That year saw the release of Tetris 99, a game inspired by the battle royale genre that is still exclusive to members of Nintendo Switch Online. It sounds weird, but it works incredibly well. Near the end of that same year, Tetris Effect was released and blew away expectations and minds.

It’s great on its own, but playing it in VR is a whole other experience. Each stage hosts a theme and song, and as you continue to clear lines of blocks, the atmosphere continues to explode with euphoric energy. The soundtrack ranges from pop songs to uplifting instrumentals, and the stages will help you focus on achieving that high score you always dreamed of.

2 Moss And Moss: Book 2

A mouse hero talking to a spirit
Moss

Released
February 27, 2018
Developer(s)
Polyarc
Genre(s)
Adventure , Puzzle
ESRB
E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence

Moss follows the tale of a young mouse named Quill on an adventure to save her kingdom. Each area in the game is split into multiple little dioramas that look truly breathtaking in VR. You play as a character known as The Reader and will need to move objects and distract enemies for Quill to continue her quest.

Moss: Book 2 picks up exactly where the first game ends and is somehow more impressive than the debut title, from its story to the gripping combat. Quill will meet new friends and even deadlier enemies, but she has more weapons to utilize this time. Both games are gorgeous in VR while also telling one of the best stories on the platform.

1 Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Astro Bot PSVR game promotional image

Released

October 2nd, 2018

Developer

Team ASOBI

Genre

Platformer, Action

ESRB

E10+ for Everyone 10+ due to Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence

Every PlayStation console has introduced a new platforming mascot to represent its generation. The PS1 had Crash Bandicoot; the PS2 had Jak and Daxter, and so on. Even the PSVR gets one via Astro Bot Rescue Mission, and like Moss, its simple premise hides a unique and fun experience.

Astro Bot's VR adventure is a creative tour de force from Team Asobi, who uses every possible feature of the PSVR headset to their advantage. Similar to how Astro's Playroom showcased the power of the DuelSense, Rescue Mission proves that VR has a ton of potential and can be a fun and truly magical experience. From the music to the adorable robot star, this game will have you grinning from ear to ear with every second of gameplay.

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